Tilting mechanism for venetian blinds



Nov. 14, 1939. J. NISENSON 2,180,

TILTING MECHANISM FOR vnun'mu BLINDS Filed May 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 19 INVENTOR JULY/U5 N/S'E/VEUN ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1939 Ivlil'rlzo sTA'rEs v 2,180,311 'rmrmc MECHANISM FOR VENETIAN ,BLINDSJulius Nisenson, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Mas-' Y ter Venetian BlindHardware Corp., New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 17, 1937, Serial No.143,060

19 Claims. (01. 156-17) I This invention relates generally to Venetianblind head-rail, head-bar, or casing construction,

and more particularly to tilting mechanism for tilting the slats of theblind.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a unitarytilting mechanism which is interchangeable in use so that the same maybe utilized with either an exposed head-bar and tilt-bar or with acasing having concealed tilt plates.

The present invention is especially suited' for use in combination witha channel casing asfor example that described in Patent Number2,036,231, granted to me on April 7, 1936. Such use will be more fullyset forth below.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a tilting mechanismwhich is readily actuated either by cord or head chain, and where themechanism is included in an enclosed casing the cord or chain may besimply adjusted from outside of the casing.

A further object herein is the provision of structure which is simple,light in weight, strong, eflicient, and foolproof in operation.

A still further object is the provision of a tilting mechanism requiringa minimum of parts, which are either stampings or automatic screwmachine products, and which require a minimum of labor and expense toassemble.

These objects, further features, and incidental" Figure 3 is anend-elevational view of Figure 2" as seen from the left end thereof.

Figure 4*is a rear elevational view of the tilting mechanism removedfrom the Venetian blind casing and viewed from the left of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectionalview partly in elevation as seen fromthe plane 55 on Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the form of the tiltingmechanism shown in Figure 4 as seen from the plane 6-6 on Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a. developed view of the frame plate.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation of analternate means for mounting the gear.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view as.

seen from the right of Figure 8 with the gear casing plate removedshowing the tilting shaft, gear hub, and gear.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of the tilting mechanism as adapted foruse on anexposed head-bar and attached to an exposed tilt-bar, as seenin front elevation. I

Figure 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the bracket which connectsthe tilt bar with the gear hub.

The tilting mechanism, generally represented by numeral II), is cased ina housngll composed of gear casing plates I2 and I3 and a frame plate55.

A gear I5 is provided with a central orifice l6 which is shaped toconform to the hub I! having a flattened portion I8. Gear II is mountedupon hub I'l.

The hub I! is trunnioned in circular orifices I9 and in the gear casingplates l2 and I3 respectively, and is retained in position by theshoulder or integral collar thereon 2| and a snap-on split washer 22which engages an annular groove 23. Hub I1 is provided with a centralorifice 24 in which is located a shaft 25 "maintained in position by aset screw 28. The

shaft 25 is shown as broken oil. but it is to be understood that shaft25 continues to connect with and to actuate any suitable means (notshown) for tilting the slats of a Venetian blind, such as thetilt-plates described a milled or roughened portion 3|. Shaft 21 carriesmounted thereon a worm 32 and is journailed in a front bearing 33 and arear bearing 34 having external annular flanges 35 and 36 respectively.Flanges 35- and ,36 are preferably rectangular in cross section.

The pin has mounted thereon a. pair of opposed concave discs 31 and 38which have corrugations or flutes 39 and 40. The discs 31 and 38 havethe central portions thereof forced into close contact by swaging 'overthe terminal 4| of pin 30 thereby forming the cord or chain pulley 42.In order to fix the position of pulley 42 with relation to pin 30 andhence the shaft 21, the pin 30 may have a flattened portioncorresponding with the flattened portion l8 on hub I1 and the discs 31and 38 may be orificed similarly to the gear l5.

The gear casing plates l2 and i3 are identical and symmetrical so thatthey are completely interchangeable. These casing plates l2 and I3include circular gear recesses 43 and 44, front bearing pockets 45 and46, worm pockets 41 and disposed at right angles to the verticalportions thereof. ternally threaded holes 53 and 54 respectively.

The bearing pockets 45, 46, 49, and 58 are shaped on the inner surfacesthereof to conform to the outer surfaces of the bearings 33 and 34 andthe flanges 35 and 36 so that a close fit is obtained and when thecasing plates l2 and I3 are assembled the said bearings are maintainedin proper operating position with the axes thereof aligned and with thebearings prevented from turning. The flanges 35 and 36" are seated incorresponding depressions in the bearing pockets and the bearings arethereby prevented from' shifting toward or away from each other longi-.tudinally with relation to shaft 21.

The worm pockets 41 and 48 are sufficiently large to completely clearthe worm 32. All of the pockets both worm and bearing are so located onthe gear casing plates with relation to orifices l8 and 28, that theworm 32 makes a satisfactory mesh with the gear 5. A

A frame plate is comprised of a vertical front portion 56 with anintegral lug 51, a horizontal base 58 having a rectangular orifice 59,and a connecting plate portion 68 having 2. rectangular orifice 6| andcircular orifices 62 and 63. The horizontal base 58 is out along thesolid lines 64 to form two cord or chain guide tabs 65 and 66 whichcooperate with the pulley 42 as will be more fully described below. Thetabs 65 are integral with the base 58 and are bent upwardly therefrom totake a form best seen in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings. The

' connecting plate portion 68 is upwardly offset by bending the frameplate 55 at 61, indicated on Figure 7 by dot-dash lines. The amount ofoffset of plate portion 68 is equal to thethickness of the feet 5| and52. The orifices 6| and 62 are preferably wide enough to permit thescrews 68 and 68 to penetrate freely therethrough. The

as viewed in Figure '7. The relative dimensions shown in Figure 6 havebeen found satisfactory since the large opening facilitates the assemblyof the parts.

The assembly of the various components into a complete mechanism is asimple and rapid procedure. The following method has been foundsatisfactory. The worm shaft 21 with the pulley 42 affixed as describedabove is grasped and the bearing 33 is slid into place against thev wideshoulder 28; followed by the worm 32 which is forced into place on theroughened portion 3| until it abuts the narrow shoulder 28 and the innerportion 18 of bearing 33; then follows the bearing 34 which is slid onthe shaft."

The gear casing plate I3 is grasped and the hub I1 is inserted into theorifice 28. The gear Feet 5| and 52 are provided with in- I5 is thenplaced upon the hub with the orifice 6 properly engaging the flattenedportion IS. The foot 52- is then inserted through the orifice 6| offrame-plate .55. Next the shaft 21 as previously assembled is placedupon the gear casing plate l3 and the bearings 3,3,and 34 properly.meshed with the gear l5, and the pulley 42 is placed partially inorifice 58. The gear casing plate I2 is placed into position byinserting the foot 5| through the orifice 6| in the frame plate 55 andmoving the upper portion of saidplate toward the corresponding upperportion of plate I3, at the same time inserting the hub |1 through theorifice IS in plate l2. Snapping the split washer 22 onto the groove 23and riveting the plates I2 and I3 together at the upper corners thereofby rivets 1| in the holes 12, completes the assembly.

In the drawings the groove 23 is placed with relation to the collar 2|so as to allow considerable clearance. The position of this groove maybe changed as desired, and if the groove is moved considerably towardthe said collar and a heavy split washer is used, sufficient compressionmay be obtained between plates l2 and I3 so that the rivets 1| may bedispensed with.

The complete assembly or mechanism I8 is preferably installed within acasing 13 by means of the screws 68 and 68 which penetrate suitableorifices in the 'bottom wall 14. The mechanism I8 is positioned withincasing 13 so that the front portion 56 and the front wall 15 of thecasing 13 are spaced and parallel, the spacing being sufficient to allowa movable latching plate 16 to slide horizontally therebetween. Thislatch plate 16 is provided with a manual gripping tab 11, and aninwardly upset lug 18 riding just above the upper edge of portion 56.The lug 51 is thus adapted to act as a stop to prevent the latchingplate 16 from being pulled too far out of the casing 13. The structureand functions of latching plate 16 are more particularly described in mypatent identified above. The bottom wall 14 is provided with a suitableorifice (not shown) through which a cord or the chain 19 passes as itapproaches or leaves the pulley 42.

Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11 illustrate an alternative embodiment of aportion of the invention. In this form, the hub 88 is made from a pieceof' square rod stock which has been turned down, preferably in anautomatic screw machine to leave the square corners 8| and the roundedcorners 82. The corners 8| are preferably as wide as the gear 83 whichis provided with a central square orifice so that said gear 83 ispositively keyed to the hub 88 merely by being placed thereon. Thedistance from one rounded corner -82 to another diametrically oppositethereto is preferably equal to the diameter of the orifices l8 and 28 inthe plates l2 and I3. It may thus bev seen that thesquare corners 8|serve to connect with the gear 83 and prevent the hub 88 from. comingout of the chamber formed by the circular gear recesses 43 and 44.

This alternate structure of the hub is especially suited for use inconnection with exposed headbar and tilt-bar Venetian blinds. Turning toFigure 10 there is seen an embodiment of the invention as adapted forsuch use in which the head bar 84 carries the alternate form of tiltingmechanism 85 which supports the tilt-bar 86 by means of a novel bracket81. This bracket is shown in Figure 11, and comprises a large horizontalportion 88, a short vertical portion 83, a

2,180,811 short horizontal portion 98, and a large vertical' portion 9|having a square hole 92. The portion 88 is adapted for suitableattachment to the tilt-bar 86 as for example by wood screws. The portion89 serves as a stop to simply and accurately space the tilt-bar 88ywithrelation to the mechanism 85. The square hole 92 is adapted to fit thesquare hub 88 and need only be slipped thereon to secure positiveconnection between the, bracket 81 and the hub. Because the squarehole92 is slightly oversize a partial universal joint type of connection issecured and the assembly of the head-bar 84 is facilitated in that themechanism 85 need not be accurately lined up.

Further a four sided hub 88 requires at the mostonly a 90 degreerotation thereof in order to take on a position coinciding with anyrotated position of the tiltbar 88 and bracket 81.

When the alternate mechanism 85 is installed on an exposed head-bar 84,there is no need for the vertical front portion 58 and the lug 51 andthese parts may be dispensed with. The mechanism 85 may then beconveniently attached to the head-bar 84 for example by inserting woodscrews 93 through the internally threaded orifices 53 and 54 in feet and52 and orifices '82 and 83. It is understood of course'that themechanism 85 is thus in an inverted position with relation to theposition of mechanism l8. Y

With regard to the hub 88, this may be provided with an orifice 94 (seeFigure 8) which corresponds to the orifice 24, and a set screw 95. In

this manner a single assembly or tilting mechanism may be had which isequally suitable for use with a shaft such as shaft 25 or a bracket suchas bracket 81.

v The pulley 42 is of novel construction in that the flutes 39 and 40are directly opposite each other and are relatively sharp on the insidefaces thereof. The flutes are thus adapted to prevent the slipping ofthe bead chain I9 since each of the beads falls between said flutes.Cord may also be used on the same pulley and the flutes serve to gripthe cord so that slippage is considerably reduced.

The guide tabs 85 and 68 are so positioned with relation to the pulley42 that by pushing upwardly on the portions of a cord or the chain I9exposed outside of the casing 13, the cord or chain may be disengagedfrom the pulley to form a loop thereabove and the position of the cordor chain may be changed independently of the pulley.

After the position has been changed, pulling the two exposed portions ofthe cord or chain will seat the same in the pulley groove.

Since the length of the bearing 33 including the portion 10 thereof isequal to the normal spacing between the worm 32 and wide shoulder29 whenthe fiange 35 is properly seated in the bearing pockets 45 and 48, theworm shaft 2'! is pre-.

vented from longitudinal displacement and thethrust of the worm 32 istaken by the ends of bearing 33. This construction also maintains thepulley 42 in a properly centered position in the strictive or limitativeof the invention, of which I claim as new and 'desire :to secure byLetters Patent, is: s

-1. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism includ-;

ing: a casing having aligned orifices therein; a hub journalled' in saidorifices; a gear mounted on said hub and keyed thereto so that the gearrotates therewith, saidgear being free .to move longitudinally on saidhub but restrained in such longitudinal movement by said casing.

2. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a casing havingcoaxially aligned orifices therein; a hub having aperiphery,non-circular in cross section and trunnioned in said orifices; a gearmounted on said hub and keyed thereto so that the gear rotatestherewith, said gear. being free to move longitudinally on said hub butrestrained in such longitudinal movement by said casing.

.obviously an embodiment may be constructed 3. A Venetian blind tiltingmechanism includcircular cross section and trunnioned in the orifices insaid casing; a gear having an orifice of substantially the sameconfiguration as the cross section of the hub and being mounted on saidhub so" that the gear is loosely keyed thereto; and a worm meshing withsaid gear and rotatabl mounted in said casing. 5. A Venetian blindmechanism for tilting the slats including: a housingcomposed of twocasing plates; afoot on each casing plate; a connecting plate having anorifice within which the feet of the casing plates are engaged andwhereby the portions of said casing plates adjacent the connecting plateare held in operative position.

6. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composed oftwo casing plates; a

foot on each casing plate; a connecting plate having an orifice withinwhich the feet of the casing plates are engaged and whereby theportionsof said casing plates adjacent the connecting plate are held inoperative .position; and

means in edition to said connecting plate for maintaining the casingplates together to form a housing, said means being disposed on the freeends of said casing plates.-

7. A Venetian'blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composed oftwo casing plates;'a foot on each casing plate which is an integral benttab; a connecting plate having a rectangular orifice within which thefeet of the casing plates are engaed and whereby the portions of saidcasing plates adjacent the connecting plate are held in operativeposition; and rivets disposed adjacent the free ends of said casingplates for maintaining the casing plates together to form a housing.

8. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composed oftwo casing plates; a

worm mounted on a shaft; trunnioning means together; a foot on eachcasing plate disposed on one silk of said means; a connecting platehaving an orifice within which the feet of the casing plates are engagedand whereby the portions of said casing plates adjacent the connectingplate are held in operative position.

9. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composed oftwo casingplates; a worm mounted on a shaft; trunnioning means on saidcasing plates forming bearing supports for said shaft when the casingplates are brought together; a foot on each casing plate disposed to oneside of said trunnioning means; a connect'ing plate having an orificewithin which the feet of the casing plate are engaged and wherebyportions of said casing plates adjacent the connecting plate are held inoperative position; and

second means for maintaining the casing plates Y in operative position,said second means being disposed on the other side of the trunnionmgnieans.

10. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including a housing composed oftwo casing plates which have bearing receiving pockets; a pair ofbearings disposed within said pockets; a worm mounted on a shaft whichis journalled in said bearings; said bearings being maintained inposition when the casing plates are brought together; a foot on eachcasing plate disposed to one side of the bearing pockets; a connectingplate having an orifice within which the feet of the casing plates areengaged and whereby portions of said casing plates adjacent the connect-1 ing plate are held in operative position.

.11.- A Venetian blind tilting mechanism in- V eluding a housingcomposed of two casing plates held in operative position; and secondmeans for maintaining the casing plates in operative position, saidsecond means being disposed on the other side of the bearing pockets andserving in addition to securely clamp the bearings between the bearingplates.

12. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composed oftwo casing plates, each of said casing plates being constructed of sheetmaterial and having a gear recess stamped therein and an orifice in thegear recess; a gear trunnioned in said orifices; a worm engaging saidgear and mounted on a shaft; trunnioning means on said casing platesforming bearing supports for said shaft when the casing plates arebrought together; a foot on each casing plate to one side of said means;and a connecting plate having an orifice within which the feet of thecasing plates are engaged and whereby portions of said casing platesadjacent the connecting plate are held in operative position.

13. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composed oftwo casing plates, each of said casing plates being formed from sheetmaterial and having a gear'recess pressed therein and an orifice in thegear recess; a gear trunnioned in said orifices; a worm engaging the onsaid casing plates forming bearing supports- 7 gear and mounted on ashaft; trunnioning for said shaft when the casing plates are brought onsaid casing plates forming bearing supports for said shaft when thecasing plates are brought together; a foot on each casing plate to oneside of said means; a connecting plate having an 5 orifice within whichthe feet of the casing'plates are engaged whereby portions of saidcasing plateaadjacent the connecting plateareheld in operative position;and second means for maintaming the casing plates in operative position,10 said second means being remotely positionedwith relation to saidconnecting plate.

14. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composed oftwo casing plates,

each of said casing plates being formed from sheet material and having agear recess therein, and an orifice in the gear recess; a geartrimnioned in said orifices; a worm engaging said gear and mounted on ashaft; trunnioning means on said casing plates forming bearing supports20 for said shaft when the casing plates, are brought together; a footon each casing plate to one side of said trunnioning means and having anorifice;

a connecting plate having an orificewithin which the feet of the casingplates are engaged and whereby portions of said casing plates adjacentthe connecting plate are held in operative position, and whereby theorifices in the feet are adapted for use in connecting the mechanism toa Venetian blind headbar. Y

15. A Venetian blindtilting mechanism for use with a cord or chainincluding: a housing. composed of two casing plates, each of'said casingplates being formed from sheet material and having a gear recess pressedthereon and an orifice in the gear recess; a gear trunnioned in the saidorifices; a worm engaging said gear and mounted upon a shaft; a pulleyafiixed -to said shaft; trunnioning means on said casing plates formingbearing supports for said shaft with the 40 pulley disposed outside ofthe housing when the casing plates are brought together; a foot on eachcasing plate to-one side of said means; a connecting plate having aconnecting opening and a guide opening, said feet being engaged in theconnecting opening and said pulley being disposed adjacent said guideopening; and a pair of bent integral guide tabs formed from theconnecting plate portions bordering the guide opening, whereby a chainor cord may be guided into engagement with said pulley.

16. A' Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing composedoftwocasing plates oppositely disposed and having coaxially alignedorifices therein; a hub having a central portion with outwardlyextending projections thereon and therefore being non-circular in crosssection and larger in diameter than said orifices, said hub having endportions which are reduced in diameter and non-circular in cross sectionand whose greatest diameter is less than the diameter of either of saidorifices; a gear disposed within the housing and having an orificecorrespending in shape to the central portion of the hub and beingmounted thereon; whereby the gear is keyed to the hub and rotatestherewith, said gear being free to move longitudinally on said hub butrestrained in such longitudinal movement by said casing.

17. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism in cluding: a housing composed oftwo casing plates oppositely disposed and having coaxially alignedorifices therein; a hub having a central portion with projectionsthereon and therefore beingnoncircular in cross section and larger indiameter than said orifices, said hub having end portions which arereduced in diameter and non-circular in cross section and whose greatestdiameter is less than the diameter of either of said orifices; a geardisposed within thehousing and having an orifice corresponding in shapeto the central portion of the hub and being mounted thereon; whereby thegear is keyed to the hub and rotates therewith, said gear being free'tomove longitudinally on said hub but restrained in such; longitudinalmovement by said casing; and a tilting bar bracket having a portionthereof adapted for attachment to a tilting bar and having anotherportion with an orifice corresponding in. shape to an end portion ofsaid hub, whereby the bracket may be rotatably keyed to the said endportion of the hub but slidable therealong.

18. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism including: a housing com sed oftwo identical casing plates oppositely posed and having coaxlallyaligned orifices therein; a hub journalled at its ends in said orifices,and polygonalin cross section; the polygonal corners on each 01' the hubends connecting the sides being rounded a substantial distance in fromthe said hub ends, the hub thus having a central portion withthepolygonal corners intact forming outwardly extending projectionsthereon, the diameter of the central portion of the hub between any twoopposite polygonal corners being greater than the orifices in the casingplates the hub thus having hub ends with rounded polygonal cornersacting as bearing surfaces in cooperation with said onfices, thediameter of the hub ends between any two opposite rounded polygonalcorners being less than the diameter of the orifices in the easingplates; a gear disposed within the housing and having an orificecorresponding in shape .to the central portion of the hub and beingloosely mounted thereon; whereby the gear is keyed to the hub androtates therewith, said gear being free to move longitudinally of thehub; the gear and central portion of the hub being independentlyrestrained in such longitudinal movement by the said casing.

19. A Venetian blind tilting mechanism in cluding: a housing composed oftwo casing plates;

/ a worm mounted on a shaft; a bearing having a peripheralfiangerotatable on said shaft and fixed in position by being compressedbetween corresponding depressions in said casing plates;

a foot on each casing plate disposed on one side.

of said means; a connecting plate having an oriflce within which thefeet of the casing plates are engaged and whereby theportions of saidcasing plates adjacent the connecting plate, are held in operativeposition to compress the said bearing in the said plates.

. JULIUS NISENSON.

